GWR summer timetable brings changes to South Devon services

Residents in Torbay and across South Devon are being advised to check before they travel, as Great Western Railway’s (GWR) summer timetable comes into effect from Sunday 18 May.

The seasonal update brings adjustments across the network, with adjustments to services between Cardiff and Penzance including Exeter.

GWR is introducing later evening services from Gatwick to Reading, aimed at providing better onward connections for passengers arriving on international flights.

Mark Hopwood, GWR Managing Director, said: “These changes form the first part of GWR’s long-held ambition to better match train timetables with flight arrivals and departures.

“There will be two additional weekday services at 8:59pm and 9:59pm from Gatwick to Reading, helping to provide more direct trains for later evening flights.”

A third weekday service, the 8:22pm from Reading to Shalford, will also be extended through to Gatwick.

Closer to South Devon, GWR is introducing a major update to the timetable on the scenic Looe Valley Line in Cornwall, a popular route with both local travellers and visitors.

Changes include reduced waiting times at Liskeard for connections to and from Plymouth and Cornwall, with the final weekday train from Looe now departing at 9:55pm —18 minutes later than before.

Richard Burningham, Manager of the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, said the changes would bring long-term benefits:
“We firmly believe the new service will encourage more people to take the train to and from Looe, something that will benefit the town, area and local businesses.”

In anticipation of a busy summer period, GWR is also increasing the capacity on key routes. The Sunday service between Worcester and London Paddington will now run with nine carriages instead of five.

The company has added extra calls at Saltash in response to expected disruption caused by work on the Saltash road tunnels later this year.

There will also be some adjustments to services between Cardiff and Penzance due to changes in CrossCountry’s timetable. GWR will now operate trains from Penzance to Exeter, and separately from Exeter to Cardiff—Sundays will see services running from Taunton to Cardiff. CrossCountry will continue to provide direct trains to Taunton, Bristol and further north.

Passengers in Torbay planning long-distance or airport travel this summer are advised to check their journeys in advance using the GWR website or app.